Strange Phenomenon in the Heart of the Lake
It was an indescribable feeling, both familiar and warm, yet somewhat strange, echoing somewhere in my heart.
This feeling surprised her.
As Cui Luzhu walked, she suddenly said, "Recently, there have been rumors in the palace that demons have been appearing. I wonder if it is appropriate for us to wander around like this at night, even going to the water's edge."
Zhang E'xu immediately replied, "Where did you hear that? I've never heard of it."
Cui Luzhu replied matter-of-factly, "You never listen to what's going on outside, so of course you wouldn't know anything. I just happened to go out and heard it from the maids in other palaces."
In terms of being well-informed, no one in the entire dance troupe could compare to Cui Luzhu, because she was naturally quick-witted and could boldly chat with anyone in the palace. She was the most lively and resourceful person in the dance troupe.
Lady Sun coughed lightly and said, "Since Banyue Lake belongs to the Grand Palace Supervisor's territory, and the Grand Palace Supervisor is currently the top expert in the palace, it should be fine."
Hearing what Sun Neiren meant, A Qiu seemed to tacitly agree with the rumor that "there is a demon in the palace." She then recalled how Fan Liancheng had disregarded his official duties and insisted on escorting her back. At the time, she thought Fan Liancheng was treating her like a weak woman, which she found both laughable and absurd. Now she realized that the rumor had even reached the Music Bureau.
A-Qiu, however, became curious and asked, "Master, you are from the Music Bureau, how do you know that Supervisor Rong is the top martial arts expert in the palace?"
Lady Sun replied, “I heard it from the old instructors. No one in our generation has ever seen the Grand Eunuch take action. However, I suppose that’s a kind of luck. If the Grand Eunuch were to take action to protect the palace, it would probably be a moment of life or death for the country. Thinking about it that way, I hope I never have the chance to witness that in my life.”
The four, who had been speaking in hushed tones, suddenly sensed something and fell silent in unison. The forest instantly quieted down, a strange stillness spreading throughout the area.
Ah Qiu's previous feeling of both familiarity and strangeness had intensified.
Of the four, she had the best eyesight. She focused her inner energy and looked through the dense branches into the distance, where she saw the most extraordinary scene she had ever witnessed in her life.
Beyond the grove of trees lies a naturally formed lake with a white sandbar in its center, adorned with a rustic bamboo and wood pavilion. At this moment, the serene moonlight spills across the lake's surface, creating shimmering, silvery reflections.
But with just a glance, A Qiu noticed that beneath the seemingly calm and peaceful ripples of the lake, there was an unusual flow.
Before she could see clearly, she felt a huge ripple surge deep into the lake bottom, with layers of white waves emerging and gradually disappearing into the deep, jewel-like surface of the lake.
At the same time, a silvery-white beam of light shot into the sky from the sandbar and instantly disappeared into the forest on the opposite bank.
If I'm not mistaken, there were faint human figures in the light.
A Qiu was also filled with doubt and surprise. If that white light that had just vanished was truly human, then it must have possessed the cultivation level of a legendary sword immortal.
Sun Neiren, Cui Luzhu, and Zhang Exu reacted a fraction of a second slower. When they parted the branches to look outside, they did not see the scene she had just witnessed.
At this moment, An Gong's voice could be heard coming from afar on the sandbar, calmly saying, "Since you're here, then board the boat and come over."
Only then did A Qiu notice that a wooden boat was half-moored on the sandy shore of the lake.
It seems that people usually travel to and from the sandbar in the middle of the lake by boat. But An Gong and the man from earlier clearly used their lightness skills to cross the water.
A Qiu was confident that he could do it with his skills. However, assassins are pragmatic and would not waste their internal energy to cross water just for the sake of looking elegant.
She beckoned her wife, Sun, and Cui and Zhang to come and board the boat, while she herself naturally picked up the wooden oar and rowed towards the center of the lake.
In other words, An Daoling was highly respected and was a respected elder in A Qiu's heart. She was certain that he would never harm her. Otherwise, given the huge wave that had just disappeared underwater, A Qiu would not have easily put herself in such a dangerous situation.
She was almost certain that the wave must have been caused by some kind of aquatic creature. But she racked her brains and couldn't think of any aquatic creature that could be so huge.
Sun Neiren and the others were completely unaware of what had just happened, but Cui Luzhu said thoughtfully, "A Qiu, you actually know how to steer a boat."
It should be noted that controlling the direction of the boat by rowing with oars, keeping it straight and heading towards the target, is not something a novice can do.
But as a Lanling assassin, both riding a horse and maneuvering a boat are essential skills for carrying out missions. A Qiu paused for a moment, not quite knowing how to answer, when Lady Sun answered for her: "A Qiu knows a lot more than you do. Unlike you, she didn't grow up in the palace from a young age, so her knowledge is naturally more diverse."
Her gaze toward A-Qiu was filled with both love and complexity as she softly said, "Whether it's galloping across the desert on horseback or navigating a stream in a boat, A-Qiu can do it all, can't she?"
Ah Qiu had broken through three passes to protect Li Chongyu at the city gate, and Lady Sun had probably already heard about it. However, judging from the expression in Lady Sun's eyes, Ah Qiu could tell that what she was thinking about was Shi Changqing, the incarnation of her master.
Shi Changqing was born on the grasslands beyond the Great Wall. Although she was not Shi Changqing's biological daughter, she was his disciple. Therefore, she naturally learned most of his skills.
Cui Luzhu stuck out her tongue, revealing an extremely cute expression of envy.
Seeing this, Sun's wife smiled and said, "If you admire horseback riding, you can marry into the border region like your Uncle Hu in the future, and you will naturally have plenty of opportunities to learn."
Upon hearing this, her expression immediately darkened, as she recalled Hu Miaorong, who had perished in Jianzhang Palace.
As A Qiu rowed the boat, she changed the subject, saying, "It is said that Zhao Xuanxu, the current Grand Commander of Eastern Wu, has two sons. If Green Pearl and E'xu do not wish to marry far away to the border, you can ask His Majesty to bestow them upon the Zhao family. Eastern Wu's navy is extremely strong. If you marry into the military, you can not only handle boats, but also try steering ships."
Zhang Exu said in a serious tone, "I will stay in the Music Bureau, just like my wife, and that will be fine."
Cui Luzhu wasn't shy at all and laughed, "We don't know anything else besides dancing, so it's better for us to stay in the Music Bureau."
Hearing their words, A Qiu was very pleased and said, "Now that I am the Grand Master of Music, I naturally wish you could stay in the palace. Once the performances of 'Shao' and 'Wu' begin, I will transfer your musical records to the Imperial Music Bureau. Then we can be together often, just like when I first entered the palace."
Sun's wife looked at them without saying a word, but her joy was evident.
The ship had now anchored on the islet, and An Daoling's joking voice rang out, "I wonder what has happened that has troubled our newly appointed Grand Master of Music to come here so late at night?"
At this moment, the moon is high in the sky, the water is clear and the moon is bright, the lake is calm and the ripples are gentle, and An Daoling, with a purple bamboo flute at his waist, stands gracefully in the bamboo pavilion. His gaze is on the corner of the Zhaixing Tower, which is revealed behind the towering trees on the opposite bank, with its flying eaves and upturned ridges, and its magnificent and solemn appearance.
After hearing A Qiu and Sun Neiren explain the preparation of the Shao and Wu dances, he pondered for a moment and then agreed, saying, "If this move can be carried out, it will not only surpass the Northern Qiang at the state banquet, but will also surely make all Han people in the world feel that there is hope for the restoration of the country, and know that our Dayan is the true successor of China. It can be said to be the best way to win hearts and minds."
Hearing that An Daoling's words were full of approval and had no doubts, A Qiu immediately asked, "Then has Lord An ever seen the original appearance of the 'Shao' and 'Wu' dances?"
Upon hearing this, An Daoling sighed and said, "Although I served in the palace in previous dynasties, when the Music Bureau was at its peak, there were over ten thousand musicians and performers. They widely adopted and absorbed music and dance from various countries, evolving into ten different musical groups. Yet, I have never actually seen the 'Shao' or 'Wu'. It seems that, as Marquis Wen of Wei said, listening to ancient music makes one drowsy and sleepy, while listening to music from Zheng and Wei makes one tireless. Therefore, it is normal for monarchs to have a large harem to fill their eyes with beauty, while listening to elegant music with educational and edifying effects is not in human nature. Hence, the Great Huan Dynasty declined from its peak, and I, as the head of the Xianshao Academy in charge of music, have never seen the splendor of the 'Shao' or 'Wu' throughout my entire reign."
Upon hearing this, Lady Sun paused for a moment, then said, "Lord An didn't seem troubled at all when he heard about this. I thought that since you had seen 'Shao' and 'Wu' before, you were confident and thought that our rehearsals wouldn't be difficult. Who would have thought..." She hesitated, then stopped.
Although An Daoling categorically denied seeing the original forms of "Shao" and "Wu," his expression showed no sign of difficulty. Only A Qiu noticed his gaze, which casually swept over her before returning to the spot where the white sword light had vanished, as if he were still pondering. After a moment, he said, "Although I have not seen 'Shao' and 'Wu,' there are people in the palace who have. Moreover, if A Qiu were to inquire, that person would certainly not hold back."
Sun's wife was greatly surprised. She looked at A Qiu and couldn't help but ask, "Is what Lord An is talking about the Divine Lord of Liyang?"
This time, it was An Daoling's turn to be taken aback. He frowned and asked, "What, Lord Liyang?" After a moment, he seemed to realize something, and a smile appeared on his lips. He said, "If you want to call him that, it's not entirely unacceptable." He looked at A Qiu and said meaningfully, "In short, if A Qiu goes to ask him, I am almost 100% certain that she will receive his teachings." He then looked at Sun Neiren, Cui Luzhu, and Zhang Exu and said decisively, "You should not go, because Lord Liyang will not see you."
He spoke with such certainty that even A-Qiu was confused.
Previously, the high priestess Qi Luo had suggested consulting the God of Liyang, but A Qiu was still somewhat skeptical. However, An Daoling, being an elder in the palace, spoke with absolute certainty and conviction. What puzzled her most was that Qi Luo was not confident that the God of Liyang would truly teach her the dances of "Shao" and "Wu," yet An Daoling had complete faith in her and explicitly stated that Lady Sun and the others did not need to go.
Cui Luzhu thought for a moment, then tilted her head and asked, "According to the great shaman, this deity has lived in the palace since the previous generation, so he must have a past relationship with Duke An. May I ask if this deity is male or female?"
Even with An Daoling's composure, he was caught off guard by this question and chuckled, "Since you call him a deity, then gender is naturally unimportant. You are seeking the inheritance of the 'Shao' and 'Wu' music, not marriage, so why do you care whether he is male or female?"
Cui Luzhu stuck out her tongue and made a face, saying, "When I was little, I heard my teacher tell the story of the River God marrying a bride. If you send A Qiu alone, and the god is a man, I'm afraid he might take a fancy to A Qiu's beauty and want to keep her as his bride. That would be terrible."
Even the usually rigid Zhang Exu said, "If this deity is as handsome and majestic as the immortals in the paintings, it would actually be quite good. If A Qiu becomes the deity's bride, she will naturally be an immortal as well. If she can help us become immortals together, wouldn't that be wonderful? After all, it is said that when one person attains enlightenment, even chickens and dogs can become immortals."
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